packing...

would be easier if i had a scale!

indeed. the only thing with international travelling is what you accumulate I guess.

I never leave Australia with much. But always come back with little treasures and tid bits. This time, kind of unfortunately there was a trip to Mexico involved (ref. rather heavy hand made hammock). Mostly in recent years I have tried to come back with things I can certainly wear a lot or use a lot. The hammock is one of these things :)

xx

nervous...

flip flop stomach kinda right now...

it occurs to me that i will be living out of my backpack for some time to come.

so i'm just looking at the Open Universities Australia website at some possibilities for training leading up to my grand business idea. I'd like to get the business cranking in mid-2012 if possible, and though the training will take some time to complete, I think it would be worthwhile.

and that in itself makes me nervous. i've never completed any University course. i plunged head first into the business world at an early age and everything I know I have learned either at a short course or on the job. I mean I think i'm pretty knowledgeable in office administration, training and other things but actually looking at a Degree kind of scares the bejesus outta me.

I do want to get this travel out of my system (i mean, maybe it will never leave my system, but we'll give it a red hot go, eh?) and on the list for next year other than returning to Canada is FRANCE and VIETNAM. Oh and to annoy Mikey in the US as well at some point.

xx

Jon Spencer Blues Explosion feat. Beck - Flavor

THE BLUES IS NUMBER ONE!!!!!

wheeee!!

xo

so i was just reading...

....way back at the beginning of this blog. kinda for shits and giggles but because i was thinking, what on earth did i write so much about?! and now i see.

festivals. art. strange websites. playlists from my radio show. recipes. in-jokes. rants. the occasional vox-pop. and now, travel.

and i guess really, when i think about it, and after discussing it with various people over the years, you don't really change much as you get older.

mostly your ideals are the same. you gain more knowledge and maybe your theories or thoughts may twist, but all in all you are the same.

you are that same little nervous person when it comes to conveying feelings, steer towards certain music when your mood changes, offer an opinion or advice when you feel someone can use it, sometimes hold on to things for too long and let your brain steep on them, and basically never EVER raise your voice to anyone.

At least thats me.

I think in the last 5 years I have SERIOUSLY yelled at two people that I can think of. And that doesn't include someone who you may think obvious.

(calling Cint a shtcnt in Coles doesn't count)

One was a dude at a party for a friend in Brisbane who was leaving their job and invited us along. He was just an all round self-important douche. And he deserved a good 'look mate, you are a rude, arrogant, fuckwit' which is exactly what he got from me. My heart beat a hundred miles a minute at that moment, but damn, I'd probably say it to that particular dude again!

The other one was someone who recently got in my face whilst working at the Hostel. No biggie. Tiredness and retarded behaviour on their part.

I go through big phases of being creative and of being determined. I do lose faith in myself and my abilities sometimes. When deep down I know that I am quite capable of many things that I may never accomplish because of lingering doubt.

And when nothing makes sense there are the same handful of people I go to immediately. I have been very lucky with the close girlfriends I have that they are so open and we can always bounce things off of each other in times of doubt and trouble.

The friend base stretches far and wide, these days over many countries, and I am blessed in the way that even though years may go by, we can always reconnect with ease. Like no time has passed.

Sometimes I wonder where my energy goes. I know this is partially health based, but also I guess it's part of getting older. Certain days you'd think I was full of beans, literally. Other days you could be mistaken for thinking that perhaps I will shortly explode. Or implode I guess.

I say it's part of getting older because when you're young, in high school for example, your ideas of the world I guess are more limited. Once you're completely responsible for yourself, and out in the job market, your own property, all that kind of thing, you are exposed to more ideas and more people. Therefore you see the good and the bad. I tend to ignore the bad, at least the things they have to say to me personally.

Luckily I am mostly surrounded with sweetness and light.

Thank you universe.

xx

one of the most inspirational shows...

i have seen is a while is this one whilst I was working at the Vogue Theatre in Vancouver.

had i more money at the time i would have certainly bought probably all albums or at least their DVD of visuals.

xx

ok so... it's almost time...

Yes. It's almost time to finalise my 2011 list and it's almost time to close this little travel chapter.

I have mixed feelings about it. I'm not really sure what I wanted to achieve here in Canadaland.

Okay so I kind of feel like I started out strong but then took a small step backwards again. This country really is huge and I feel like I haven't seen quite enough of it yet. So I will certainly be back, and if all goes according to plan I predict early May 2011.

Volunteering for the festivals when I got here was just amazing, met some great people, enjoyed the sunshine (and sometimes the rain), discovered more amazing music, and learned a couple of lessons...

like.... don't get so drunk that you give your cell number out to COMPLETE randoms!
well i guess a lesson learned is a lesson gained!!

Anyways, so if I had have stayed on that artsy path, the smart thing to do would have been to keep pushing to get paid arts based work here. But I didn't. I do kick myself a little for that, because it really has become more of my focus in the last two years.

I'm not saying that being in Banff wasn't fun, but I do think I should have left at the end of October like I had intended. It was great spending time with Leni the crazy cat and meeting the other fun folks up there. I still don't know how people do so much partying all the time, but I guess my idea of partying is slightly different somehow. Work 16 hour days at 3 day festivals, no worries! Too much to drink for me... results in a very long hangover. Well each to their own I suppose.

I have met some people who I feel are really important to me in both Vancouver and Banff, people that have taught me things, made me feel valued, or made me swoon. I could never forget any of them, and I hope to keep them in my life.

So back to Australia I will go shortly for the festival season and I will try, hopefully without fail, to do four months of arts based work and not have to fall back on any sort of lame temp job that I will end up getting stuck in for months and months like has happened in the past.

I do feel like I really need to concentrate on my health whilst I am back at home. Not that I have been feeling particularly bad (as in, don't panic or anything), but there are definitely still (stupid hereditary) things going on that are well within my control that I should be paying closer attention to. I hope with some advice and treatment back in Aus that I can start to do this properly and make some real life changes. Because it often does stress me out and sometimes makes me grumpy. And it's no way to be. By no means is it as bad as post-fally-downy-stairsy years, but sometimes it becomes uncomfortable.

Ultimately, well I'm still searching for the happiness within. I think we all are. And sometimes I feel like a stupid sad sack because I don't know what the ultimate happiness is or even should be. I mean who knows. I certainly shouldn't complain about circumstance because I put myself in the position I am in and only I can change it. We should all be wiser to remember that sometimes.

I guess I will know when I find it.

xx

back in VanGroovy...

after a 4 month stint working at the SameSun Hostel in Banff, Alberta, I have returned to BC!

Banff was pretty in the summer time, I managed to do some hiking around Banff and Lake Louise, get up to Jasper as well with Milen on the Moose bus one weekend, went to Calgary for the Calgary Reggae Fest, and also get down to Mexico with my old mate Leni.

I want to write much more about this... so let's save the rest of this post for tomorrow!

xx

But I will leave you with a link to this little gem, if you're on faceCOOL and like my little story, please click the LIKE button at the bottom!!

http://www.jetstar.com/au/en/Stories/ViewStory.aspx?code=8f26fe6b4ed8ac5bac8965ac940caafb

the rain, the rain...

Alberta.

Well I've seen a little of it now and I'm told these are the best bits. Surrounded by enormous mountains it is kind of strange how some days it just seems the same old, and some days you feel in awe of such rugged pieces of rock thrust out of the earth by some kind of molten force somewhere far below us.

I just moved into my own room in a place close to work in Banff with some cool kids.

Last night we made sushi and had a dance party in our kitchen fuelled by a lot of red wine.

xx

BP Oil Disaster Response Line...

Just thought I'd re-post this email I received back from them. Make sure you make them know it's NOT OKAY.

"Unified Command for the BP Oil Spill Deepwater Horizon Response

to me

show details Jul 14 (2 days ago)

The following inquiry was submitted to Unified Command for the BP Oil
Spill | Deepwater Horizon Response on 07/13/10 21:47 (492203):
From : Joint Information Center
Date : 07/14/10 10:35

Dear Ms. Faye,

Thank you for sharing your concerns with us. Every member of Unified
Command deeply regrets the impact this spill has had on wildlife and
the residents of the Gulf Coast. We are doing everything possible to
stop the flow from the well, contain spilled oil and minimize the
environmental impact and economic damage.

In the meantime, we appreciate your interest and concern, and encourage
you to follow our progress.

While ultimate responsibility for this terrible accident will be
determined in due time, right now all of us - Unified Command, BP, the
Administration, Federal, State and Local agencies and contracted
responders - are working together towards our ultimate goal of
environmental and economic restoration for the Gulf and its residents.

BP has assumed full responsibility for the spill, and where people have
legitimate claims for damages BP will honor them.

Regards,

Joint Information Center
Deepwater Horizon Response
------------------------------

-----------------------------------------
From : Julie Faye
Date : 07/13/10 21:47

The whole situation in the gulf is disgusting. I hope that your whole
company will be liable for all claims and all clean up costs.
Worst environmental disaster in years!
Makes me totally sick, I wouldn't even be driving a car right now even
if I hadn't recently sold mine.
I would volunteer, but certainly not through your organisation.

-----
If you have further questions or would like more information, feel
free to contact us via the link below.

https://www.piersystem.com/go/inquiry/2931/?i=492203"

I don't think they get it... it's not just people along the coast, they have affected the whole world by poisoning the ocean.

Douche-bags. xo

Festival it up folks...

well... i can walk 2.6kms with my massive pack on, in the blaring afternoon heat and not die. It's a start.

So I spent 5 days in Victoria on Vancouver Island for the Ska Fest. The fest was fun and I met some nice people and saw some great bands.

Katchafire and The Black Seeds represented our neighbours from the East (New Zealand) and The Resinators represented Australia.

My highlights were definitely the Cherry Poppin' Daddies and Fishbone.

Off to Banff in about 10 days to work in a Hostel up there.

But before that, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival will help me pass the time.

xx

Terry Goodkind - I think you're pretty awesome...

yeh so I do... and I'm ridiculously behind with the series I know, I know...

So I just finished reading Chainfire... there are at least two if not more books beyond this I am yet to read, and have just seen a new Richard / Kahlan book will arise in 2011.

I also didn't know there was a television show made out of the story. I mean, come on, have I been living in a bubble?!

Oh right, I was living in Brisbane.

Chainfire was a great read, once again, I hadn't really recalled the final parts of the previous book, perhaps a re-read at some point in the future, but you know you always get those little snippets of past events whilst reading, therefore it all made sense.

And so it begins... a great battle I am sure is about to ensue. And yet I am at the end with the answers to the puzzle, but not the battle to proceed it. ARGH! I hate it when that happens.

So anyways I will order the book to arrive before me in Banff, but am on to Chris Carlsson's NOWTOPIA, which he kindly signed for me at the group discussion a week or so back.

Oh... here is my 2010 list in case I have not posted it thus far... in fact I probably haven't... and you know, actually, I am not going so badly on some items:

1. Volunteer on at least 10 festivals - thus far, 1. Laneway (Brisbane), 2. Soundwave (Brisbane), 3. In The House (Vancouver), 4. Car Free Vancouver Day (Commercial Drive, East Van), 5. Vancouver Jazz Festival (starts today, my first shift is Sunday), Upcoming: 6. Victoria SkaFest (second week July), 7. Van Folk Fest (16-18 July), 8. Calgary Folk Fest (August)...

2. Get paid on at least 5 festivals - thus far, 1. Melb International Comedy Festival...

3. Pay 2K off credit card.... NEXT!!!

4. Lose 10 kilos... I have no idea how much I weigh so who knows

5. Travel to Canada, USA including Alaska.... part 1 complete!

6. Knock cholesterol down to 5.5 - yay hereditary illnesses!

7. Don't take jobs you don't care about!! - well i did one shitty job for the first couple months of this year but it was a means to an end (getting to MICF and getting OUT of Brisbane and getting TO Canada, so i kind of forgive myself for it)

8. Learn some french.... NEXT!!!

9. Plant some trees / learn about horticulture.... been researching this one... standby...

10. Read lots more books!! - 1. The Tale of Genji, Lady Murasaki (in progress) /2. Chainfire, Terry Goodkind / 3. Nowtopia - Chris Carlsson (currently reading)...

standby i said, standby...

foxtrot uniform charlie kilo... breaker breaker, do you read me?!

xx

things i've noticed about Vancouver...

There are LOADS of community gardens. They are everywhere. The lovely lady I am renting my head laying place from has one. They are just everywhere. And as you walk the streets you can often see into yards with fruitful gardens. Good on you Vancouver for trying to be super sustainable.

Also there are LOADS of cyclists. Which is also very cool. I mean not to the extend that they outnumber cars. But yeh it's pretty awesome. They do things like critical mass midnight bike rides and they had naked bike day here on Saturday. Hehe.

There are also quite a large number of homeless persons of all shapes and sizes, which makes me sad, and whilst I can somewhat understand it, I'd like to understand more why the help isn't getting to some of them. I think we all acknowledge that there will always be a portion of street persons who do want wish for assistance, but a few times i have seen the same lady with a particular sign, and it makes me kind of sad.

East Van is totally the place to watch the world cup right now if you're into that kinda thing. I mean I'm not but I may go watch a game or two, just to drink it up I guess.

Vancouver also has can and bottle deposit recycling like South Australia. Woo! (Why ALL Australian states don't have this I will just never know! It's up to 10 cents in SA, I mean catch up Australia!)

The weather is very unpredictable. We had a stunning sunny day here and a few hours ago it started to hail! I was kind of like hmmm... what's that... opened the blinds and low and behold it's bouncing off the window sill. Ha!

Buses are largely electric which is cool. I haven't been on the skytrain yet but I will eventually when I need to.

It is an expensive city, apparently one of the most expensive in the world. But it's all relative. It depends on how you want to live really. I'm more than happy in my current situation. Allowing me not to work and just concentrate on building my festival/arts network here.
Though there are little things you notice here and there that are more expensive, and then some less. Like berries of all descriptions are always cheaper than I have seen in Australia. But laundry powder is more costly, and I think toilet paper too.
The bus is certainly cheaper than Brisbane!! $2.50 for 90 minute transfer. There are other cheaper options I haven't quite sussed out yet like 10 trip saver type things and monthly passes.
If you wanted to buy a house round here though you'd be looking at a cool million but!

Canada, eh?!

xx

Canada, eh?!

Yes, it's even on t-shirts that... canada, eh?!

So I've been here a week and already worked a festival... www.inthehousefestival.com

What an interesting concept, strangely reminiscent of old parties in the suburb of Dulwich, South Australia, in which one time someone decided it was a good idea to light a flare and throw it onto the laundry floor filling the house with smoke!!

The weather held out beautifully for Saturday but Friday and Sunday were rainy off and on, causing a little havoc.

Moved much furniture, met nice people, had a laugh, had a boogie, stayed with a nice lady who has been doing exactly what i am now trying to do for the last twenty years (she, not i).

Vancouver is very pretty. It's easy to know which direction you are going because as long as you can see the mountains, you know it's North!

Bought another jacket to rival the ever popular 'kermit jacket'... similar in style but peach, and this time a bargain at $5...

Hopefully have found a place to stay for at least a few weeks, small studio space in the vicinity of Commercial Drive. Which, you know, is apparently one of the places to be in this town. A little bo-ho, lots of organic places, nice houses... so yay to that. Cross all available appendages that it all goes without a hitch.

Moving in that is.

xx

my friend the shazzy-cake...

hey that's weird.

anyhoo, my friend Sharon now has a new online store for her handmade kids clothing. You can find it here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/sparklepanda

that be all. xo

Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2010

I had the absolute pleasure of working in the Victoria Hotel with a bunch of awesome front of house, engineers and performers at this years festival.

It was my maiden voyage as a worker and I hope I held up my end of the bargain.

Here's a couple of random pics. xo

Rodriguez...

yes that's right, RODRIGUEZ... not of the vs gabriela variety but of 70's stoner folk rock guy.

Went to the Corner Hotel in Richmond last night, my first time there apart from picking up the ticket. The beer was relatively cheap, the crowd really huge and receptive and it was simply a great night indeed. Photos to come.

And at the end some girl near me said 'man, he only made two albums and he couldn't even play STREET BOY?!" which made me laugh.

back to work again tonight. only 9 days left of the festival. i may cry.

xx

2010...

Well hi 2010, thanks for stopping by, you sure are turning out to be a nice little year indeed...

Rodriguez C Gabriela - Sunset Sounds, Riverstage, Brisbane, Jan 2010

Amanda sliced and diced my hair at the end of February...

Played at X&Y once Tank arrived in Queensland...!!

And I packed up my little house in Bristanbul and headed for Melbourne Town...

thanks for being patient, dear readers, if there are any of you left that is... there will be more, real, detailed, crazy tales very soon i can tell you.

xx